John reiciiert



{No Model.)

J. REIGHERT.

I SNAP HOOK. N0. 553,017. Patented Jan. 14, 1896.

. UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

JOHX REICIIERT, OF BACINE, VISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LUC-IUS J.ELLIOTT, OF SAME PLACE.

SNAP-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,017, dated January14, 1896.

Application filed May 31,1895. $erial No. 551,168. (No model.)

To all) whont it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN REICHERT, a citizen of the United States, andaresident of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wiscon'sin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snapdiooks and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof.

My invention has for its object to prevent automatic release of rings oreyes engaged by snap-hooks; and it consists in certain peculiarities ofconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter set forthwithreference to the accompanying drawings, and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a view taken on the plane indicatedby line 1 1 in the succeeding figure, and Fig. 2 a plan Xiew of asnap-hook embodying my improvements.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A represents the hook proper, itsshank being pro-.

vided with a recess 7) in which a spiral spring B is seated. Engagingthe outer end of the spring is a centering-lug 0 upon the inside of thetongue (3 that has trunnions (I held by the power of the spring 13against their bearings, the latter bein bent lugs e at the upper end ofthe hook-shank. The tongue 0 is provided with inwardly-extended sideears that lap the hook-shank and serve as guards to prevent the ring oreye engaged with the hook from comin g into contact with the spring. Ithas been usual to have the ears at the lower end or point of the tongue,and at times the ring or eye engaged by the hook will so twist in thelatter as to be guided by one of said ears up to the tongue-point andexert leverage on the same, the result being that said ring or eye isautomatically released from said hook.

To prevent automatic release of a ring or eye from the hook and at thesame time protect spring B, the tongue-ears f are arranged back of thepoint or that portion of the tongue that abuts the hook proper, and thispoint is also narrowed to the same width as the abutting portion of saidhook. The tongue being narrowed, as above specified, its edgesintermediate of the point and ears f are practically continuations ofthe edges of the hook, and consequently a ring or eye twisted in thishook will readily pass the tongue-point and not exert leverage thereon,this being the important feature of my invention.

The snap -hook head herein shown comprises side arms 9 and a tubularcross-bar 7?. connecting said arms, the latter and the crossbar beingcast in one piece with the hook and shank above specified. The snap-hookhead just specified is intended to serve the function of a breast-strapguide, and while the tubular cross-bar h of considerable diameter isprefable in order to avoid a short bend in the breast-strap, this resultwould attain were the cross-bar otherwise than hollow, provided itpresented a convex face of considerable radius to said breast-strap. Italso follows that by the employment of a tubular cross-bar provision ismade for a circulation of air through the same to prevent heating of abreast-strap, and as the cross-bar or breast-strap bearing in any formis cast in one piece with the arms 9 and hook B it cannot spring awayfrom its supports under strain, while at the same time there are nojournals to wear out. It is also to be observed that a large lightbearing-surface is obtained and a gain in matters of strength anddurability efiected.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is--- 1. A snap-hook having a tongue thatextends under the point of the hook proper and is provided with earsthat terminate back of said point, the tongue being narrowedintermediate of its ears and point to thus present edges that arepractically continuations of

